Living by God's Power

So don’t make judgments about anyone 

ahead of time—before the Lord returns. 

For he will bring our darkest secrets to light 

and will reveal our private motives. 

Then God will give to each one whatever praise is due. 

-- 1 Corinthians 4:5 NLT

•

For the Kingdom of God is not just a lot of talk;

 it is living by God’s power. 

-- 1 Corinthians 4:20 NLT

~•~

Oh man! I do this way too often! 

Jumping to conclusions about someone, 

for good or bad, and then holding them to that assessment 

(which is completely my own) in all my dealings with them. 

This affects the way I think of the person 

and the way that I talk about them. 

As it says in verse 20, 

I can talk night and day about not judging people, 

but if I don't, by God's power, stop judging, 

my talk is just idle chatter. 

A clanging cymbal. 

(Hmmmm, sounds like another passage 

that is coming up in 1 Corinthians....)

As I sit here, all the various analogies 

of what our relationship with God 

is supposed to be come flooding into my mind... 

He is the Potter and I am the clay,

 He is the True Vine and I am the branch, 

I am the cracked pot and He is the Life and Light that fills me. 

He is my Shepherd and I am His little lamb. 

He is God, I am not. 

He knows all things, I see as through a dark glass. 

I see in part, He sees it all. 

He is the Judge and He is Love. 

As I look at people around me, 

I have no way of knowing the whole story of their lives. 

I have no way of seeing all that led up to someone 

making the choices they have made, right or wrong.

 Only God sees and can judge the motivation of the heart. 

And He does so with Everlasting Love and Mercy. 

Father, I choose to live by Your power. 

Help me to come to you with all things and allow 

You to speak to me and show me how I should live. 

Fill me up with You today. 

Fill me with Your love. Amen.